Dear God: I know it’s kinda old school, but You might wanna think about bringing back that whole ‘struck by lightning’ thing…
So I watched the Rielle Hunter interview on Oprah.
(Or most of it, anyway– Charlotte and I were at Home Depot buying YET MORE PLANTS for the deck. I might need an intervention, folks. Seriously, I just keep walking by these exotic flowers and shrubs I’ve never seen before and going, “Oh, why not– I’ll take one!” So now I have a dwarf Meyer lemon tree. And something kind of purple and tropical looking that I can’t pronounce that I just repotted. And a hibiscus with a braided trunk and a big honkin’ hydrangea and possibly a bougainvillia. Somebody stop me.)
Anyway, so Rielle Hunter is the woman who had the affair with John Edwards, the presidential candidate from North Carolina who is married to Elizabeth Edwards who is dying of cancer. These days you need a scorecard to keep up with all of the women coming out of the woodwork and into the bright lights of the national media who have had affairs with famous married men– between Tiger Woods and the whole Jesse James/ Sandra Bullock scandal, it’s hard to pick up a newspaper or turn on a TV set and NOT hear about cheating spouses. But the Rielle Hunter thing took it to a whole ‘nother level, mostly because of the bizarre New Age-y, psychobabble spin she attempted to put on her particular little drama. With a completely straight face, she sat across from Oprah (in the house that John Edwards is paying for, btw) and told her that the reason John Edwards started having a secret affair with her was because he wanted to “live a life of truth.” Wait, WHAT? And as for her own personal responsibility in sleeping with a married man and having his baby while he was still married to the dying wife AND was lying his dang head off on national television to the entire American public? Well, she just “followed her heart” which she firmly believes “was the right thing to do.” After all, she was just trying to “help Johnny find his authentic self.”
Honest to God, I have never heard such a load of self-serving, delusional crap in my entire life! It was narcissism on parade. Apparently in Rielle Hunter’s mind it’s ok to screw around if it’s “part of your spiritual path to your higher self.” And it’s ok for the ‘man she loves’ to publicly deny paternity of her child while simultaneously renewing his marriage vows with the wife he’s betraying, because after all, Rielle “trusts him completely and knows him like the back of my hand.” Of course this is from the woman who describes herself as “true to who I am” and “living my life with integrity.” It would have been funny if the whole thing wasn’t so tragic for everyone concerned.
I think what got to me more than anything was the complete lack of remorse and refusal to accept any moral responsibility for how her sleazy deceitful actions forever changed the lives of so many people– not the least of which is her own child, not to mention John Edwards’ other children (you know, the legitimate ones.) Those children, who are in the process of losing their mother, are now able to watch Rielle on TV dreamily talking about how she picked up, er, met John for the first time in a hotel bar, or they can read the headlines blaring from the tabloids about the legal wrangling over their dad’s sex tape. One of the biggest hit-my-head-on-the-desk moments for me was when Oprah asked Rielle if she thinks she hurt Elizabeth Edwards by having an affair with her husband and she actually had the balls to say, “I don’t know. You’d have to ask her.” Uh, yeah Rielle. I’m thinking we can probably figure that one out without having to ask Elizabeth.
I think that’s the point at which I started yelling at the television.
*sigh*
(Anybody else see this? Got any opinions?)
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Nope. Knew nothing about any of this until reading your post just know.
THIS WORLD IS NUTS!!! I missed that interview today—-I was sitting for my two year old grandson and he wanted to watch Sesame Street.
It’s like a universal script they (all the cheaters) follow, isn’t it……”I’m innocent, we’re in love, his marriage was in name only, we didn’t really mean for this to happen, it was fate….instant attraction, his wife didn’t understand him..blah blah blah!” Don’t ya want to just walk up and smack ‘em??? I do! “Home wrecker” is such a benign label, almost glamourous, but it doesn’t begin to describe the gut wrenching heartache and confusion a situation like this causes the wife and most of all, the kids. It’s no wonder God said He hates it! It stinks! You’re right, in Bible times, Ms. Rielle would be STONED to death!
I wasn’t a big fan of Elizabeth Edwards before, but I can’t imagine in my worst nightmares what it’s like to be dying of breast cancer and have my failed marriage and wandering husband’s mistress the subject of every gossip show in the country……and then, THE OPRAH SHOW!!!! What do you think she did today at 4 o’clock when the show aired across the country? Go shopping? Call her husband and yell at him? It’s incredible. I feel so sorry for her——even though, one can argue, she was too naive and trusting of that snake in the grass!
Or better yet, what did John Edwards do today at 4 o’clock? Get his hair done? Practice smiling in the mirror? Or….attend a deposition? I hope it was the latter.
(Tori, was this a typo or a Freudian slip——“Sandra Dullock”?)
Well, some wives, as well as husbands, are just HORRIBLE to live with! What if in some cases one is just reaping what one has sown?? Or has actually pushed their spouse in that direction?? I know of at least one case where one guy has owned up to neglecting his wife to the point she had to be with someone else for awhile. Not that she isn’t responsible for her actions, but still… And some guys I know, even if it hasn’t gone to the point of physically cheating, have a woman friend they can discuss more personal things with because it’s just not possible with the woman they live with…
Possibly one of the best pieces of advice I’ve heard concerning marriage was your spouse only has ONE wife, or husband, to fulfill the requirements of being their husband, or wife, and you are it!
No, I didn’t know about that. But this “complete lack of remorse and refusal to accept any moral responsibility” is indeed something which makes me furious. Sadly enough there are quite a few (or rather a lot?) of prominent people who show this strange behaviour.
If they are not Children of Light, should we expect any different? Or actually be suprised by this type of behaviour? Their father is after all the father of lies…
You’re right, jonny. Still I somehow expect people to have a conscience though not the same as God’s children (should) have.
THIS IS WHY I BASICALLY WATCH THE WEATHER & DISNEY. TOO MUCH CRAP ON TV – TOO MUCH CRAP[ OUT THERE. TOO MUCH…. HE’S ON HIS WAY TO GET US. SURE AINT GONNA GET ANY BETTER!
My ex cheated on me. He seemed to be more in to motorcycles and friends than he was family. When I finally found out about it, after 30 years of marriage, I was done. That was over 10 years ago.
Anyway, I couldn’t watch that show, but wonder how some people think. And it’s almost like there is no compassion at all for Elizabeth who is dying. I just don’t understand at all.
And Linda B….Sesame Street is much more enjoyable.
jonny– It’s almost impossible to ignore this story in the States– it’s everywhere! And while I totally agree with you that some marriages are impossible to salvage, my firm opinion is that if someone feels that way? THEN LEAVE– don’t stay in it and cheat! No one ever ‘drives’ anyone else to cheat- they might provide them with a self-serving excuse in their own head, but the decision is theirs alone. And you are so right about the ‘father of lies’ stuff– honestly, if you could have heard the self-deceit that was being spouted in the name of ‘enlightenment’, you woulda yelled at the TV, too! (BTW– I LOVE your poetry/lyrics so much, thank you for sharing them with us!)
LindaB–I feel the same way about Elizabeth Edwards, I was never a huge fan and even less so after reading Andrew Young’s book. But NOTHING she could ever have done or not done in her life would cause her to deserve what she has had to deal with. She lost a teenage child to a car wreck, and now she’s dealing with scandal and humiliation on a global scale– AND terminal cancer! It’s tragic. And that sorry excuse for a ‘husband’ should be horse-whipped.
delightedabroad– Yeah, that was the weirdest/worse part, the complete lack of any sense of embarrassment, shame or regret about their choices. It was almost eerie! No sign of a conscience, anywhere.
DELIVERED– Yeah, well I can get kinda fired up over the weather sometimes too… But you’re right, it doesn’t make smoke come out of my ears like THIS kind of crap!
Thank you, Tori, for telling it like it is! I completely agree.
[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Tori Taff. Tori Taff said: So… who saw the Rielle Hunter interview on Oprah yesterday? Thoughts? http://tinyurl.com/253mak2 […]
Tori, you are right on target with this one (not that you aren’t with everything else…lol). Shame? Disgrace? Remorse? What is that today in America? The ones I feel most sorry for are the children involved. John Edwards is a scumbucket……Elizabeth may be hard to live with, I have no idea, but like you said no one deserves that. Get the divorce so you can be with whoever your mind conjures up you wanna be with…..even though that’s a whole other story….but it’s better than cheating! Rielle, well she’s a whole other character in and of herself. Just sad, the whole thing is. But the kids….what about the kids? They are the biggest losers here!
U WERE SPOT ON AS PER USUAL TORI VERY WELL SAID!!
Well, this is the best story/article ever written about this whole sordid affair! You hit every stinkin’ nail right on the head! No fluff around here. Ditto the feelings about Elizabeth Edwards. At least Andrew Young is trying to get his life straightened out after buying into this whole Edwards mess and helping it along. He, at least, is admitting he was an idiot! Finally, real honesty. Everyone else was saying DUH! YA THINK?
Yes, the lies of the Devil himself. He is very cleaver, indeed, and is just waiting for any of us to have a twinge of doubt or justification of our actions in any area of our lives.
KEEP THAT ARMOR ON! IT’S WAR IN THE HEAVENLIES!
Thanks, Tori, for the straight talk. Most people want to shy away for saying it like it really it. You didn’t.
I saw it and it made me sick to my stomach. If that woman thought she was going to make people understand her or, heaven forbid, like her….in my case anyway, I felt great disdain throughout the interview. And, I didn’t appreciate Oprah for doing that interview because that woman did not deserve personal recognition. In fact, I rarely watch Oprah ever since she joined the New Age Movement.
If a man and woman can’t live together for whatever reason(s), the honest thing for them to do is separate and get a divorce before cavorting around town. The fact that they don’t shows flawed characters.
When children are involved…unless there is spouseal abuse…I believe the two adults do not have a right to go their separate ways. When their first child was born, that child from then on deserved first consideration in their every decision . If there is one thing that turns my stomach with a maried man or woman, especially when children are involved, is comments like, “I’m just not happy anymore” or “I’ve just fallen out of love with…” Give me a break, marriage takes work…on both parts. And avoid temptations takes character….you don’t even have to be a Christian (but it helps).
I did not see the interview, I did not want to see the interview, I know that I think the woman is just a well to delicately put it a whore. I don’t know how anyone can cheat with a married person and not realize the damage they are doing not only to the other people that are connected to the person they are cheating, but themselves also. It cheapens everything about relationship and it truly is sad. I have been cheated on so I have fairly strong feelings and thoughts on those that cheat but I also know that there is grace for the repentant heart, which from the sounds of your blog she did not have, for them there is there just reward in it’s time and it is always painful. I pray that this woman realizes the error of her thinking this side of eternity for I shudder what she will think on the other side of it. Oh it’s just so sad.
On a lighter note, I truly enjoy your blogs and your insight you keep it real and don’t try to be a fake “chritian” I appreciate that. God bless you .
Wanna see something funny? Here are a few John Edward’s quotes:
“Their rhetoric does not match the reality of what they have done.” (John Edwards)
Yeah, John! Mr. Family Values Man who told the country that his main job now was helping Elizabeth fight her cancer. Ha!
“I was wrong to vote for this war. Unfortunately, I’ll have to live with that forever. And the lesson I learned from it is to PUT MORE FAITH IN MY OWN JUDGEMENT!!” (John Edwards)
Yeah, you’re judgement is so spot on!
“The president of the United States actually has to be able to walk and chew gum at the same time.” (John Edwards)
And maybe…..not have an affair with a woman whose handy with a video camera while you’re a high profile political candidate and your wife is dying of cancer, make a sex video with said woman, and leave that video in the hands of an apparently disgruntled employee? That’s brilliant! I’ll take a common sense president who can chew gum and be faithful at the same time!
Sorry about my tirade! I missed the interview, but as I hear bits and pieces of it retold, I am growing more disgusted all the time! And…..I am just as disgusted with the Republican governor of S.C.! What’s wrong with these seemingly intelligent people? Does their popularity and position make them think they are invincible?
I guess it’s a lesson for us too—–no matter how high we rise in power and prestiege, we are one bad choice away from personal disaster. And be careful what you say, your words can come back to haunt you!
hey,Tori! Everyone! It’s good to be back. I saw parts of the interview. What was Oprah thinking putting “that woman” on TV? Has she no shame? Are her ratings so bad she has to resort to this? I had a difficult time stomaching some of the crap Reihle was shoveling. Keep digging, woman. You are only digging your own grave. I really think Social Services should take her shild away from her. She is definitely ‘not’ a fit mother.
On a lighter note- Here in Kentucky we have “Pilot” gas stations. The other day, I saw one of their tankard trucks on the road eith a sign on the back that read “best coffee on the road”. And it occurred to me that Bill Gaither needs to have one of those trucks filled with coffee to follow them when Russ is touring with the Homecoming group.
Just a note about my Dad and family. We are coping with the loss of Mom. My husband has been a great help and comfort to me. Dad has the support of the family and the church. It has even inspired my hucband to become more involved with the church, since he can’t work since his heart attack. Keep praying for us, just as you all are in our prayers.
After reading what I had written, I am afraid I sounded as if I thought a couple should stay together no-matter-what when they have children. I meant that they shouldn’t take separating lightly…that when they had those children, at that moment the couple no longer were in first place for consideration…the children should be. And if there is any possible way for the couple to stay together until those children go off to college…that is what they should do. But I’m realistic to understand that, besides abuse, there are other reasons couples find they can no longer live together…and sometimes children are actually better not living in that married home. Sometimes, it is the more Christian thing to do is separate. Hopefully, not using the children in any way to get even with one another…but to work together for their good.
Okay, hope I cleared that up…in case anybody was breathlessly waiting for my final proclamation.
I agree with whomever it was who thought the child should be taken away from Johnny’s mistress…..however, I don’t think it could be done, legally. She is not a nice person; the strange thing is I believe she thinks she is a superior human being. I think we would be surprised at how many there are running around exactly like this woman…. But she is right about one thing….she and Johnny are soul mates, indeed.
Hi Tori and everyone (sorry away so long and nice to be back!)
I did not see the interview, so thank you for the recap! What a load of whatever is vile in this world. Glad I did not see it. Totally disagree with even trying to dignify that situation on television. Out here (Oregon) that show come on at 4:00 when kids are home from school. So what a horrible message to send out children if they happen to be watching that show.
Sounds like we agree with everyone here. Blessings to you all!